1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel compounds capable of modulating, regulating and/or inhibiting tyrosine kinase signal transduction. The present invention is also directed to methods of regulating, modulating or inhibiting tyrosine kinases, whether of the receptor or non-receptor class, for the prevention and/or treatment of disorders related to unregulated tyrosine kinase signal transduction, including cell growth, metabolic, and blood vessel proliferative disorders.
2. Description of the Related Art
Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) comprise a large and diverse class of proteins having enzymatic activity. The PTKs play an important role in the control of cell growth and differentiation.
For example, receptor tyrosine kinase mediated signal transduction is initiated by extracellular interaction with a specific growth factor (ligand), followed by receptor dimerization, transient stimulation of the intrinsic protein tyrosine kinase activity and phosphorylation. Binding sites are thereby created for intracellular signal transduction molecules and lead to the formation of complexes with a spectrum of cytoplasmic signaling molecules that facilitate the appropriate cellular response (e.g., cell division, metabolic homeostasis, and responses to the extracellular microenvironment).
With respect to receptor tyrosine kinases, it has been shown also that tyrosine phosphorylation sites function as high-affinity binding sites for SH2 (src homology) domains of signaling molecules. Several intracellular substrate proteins that associate with receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) have been identified. They may be divided into two principal groups: (1) substrates which have a catalytic domain; and (2) substrates which lack such domain but serve as adapters and associate with catalytically active molecules. The specificity of the interactions between receptors or proteins and SH2 domains of their substrates is determined by the amino acid residues immediately surrounding the phosphorylated tyrosine residue. Differences in the binding affinities between SH2 domains and the amino acid sequences surrounding the phosphotyrosine residues on particular receptors are consistent with the observed differences in their substrate phosphorylation profiles. These observations suggest that the function of each receptor tyrosine kinase is determined not only by its pattern of expression and ligand availability but also by the array of downstream signal transduction pathways that are activated by a particular receptor. Thus, phosphorylation provides an important regulatory step which determines the selectivity of signaling pathways recruited by specific growth factor receptors, as well as differentiation factor receptors.
Aberrant expression or mutations in the PTKs have been shown to lead to either uncontrolled cell proliferation (e.g. malignant tumor growth) or to defects in key developmental processes. Consequently, the biomedical community has expended significant resources to discover the specific biological role of members of the PTK family, their function in differentiation processes, their involvement in tumorigenesis and in other diseases, the biochemical mechanisms underlying their signal transduction pathways activated upon ligand stimulation and the development of novel drugs.
Tyrosine kinases can be of the receptor-type (having extracellular, transmembrane and intracellular domains) or the non-receptor type (being wholly intracellular).
The RTKs comprise a large family of transmembrane receptors with diverse biological activities. The intrinsic function of RTKs is activated upon ligand binding, which results in phophorylation of the receptor and multiple cellular substrates, and subsequently in a variety of cellular responses.
At present, at least nineteen (19) distinct RTK subfamilies have been identified. One RTK subfamily, designated the HER subfamily, is believed to be comprised of EGFR, HER2, HER3 and HER4. Ligands to the Her subfamily of receptors include epithelial growth factor (EGF), TGF-α, amphiregulin, HB-EGF, betacellulin and heregulin.
A second family of RTKs, designated the insulin subfamily, is comprised of the INS-R, the IGF-1R and the IR-R. A third family, the “PDGF” subfamily includes the PDGF α and β receptors, CSFIR, c-kit and FLK-II. Another subfamily of RTKs, identified as the FLK family, is believed to be comprised of the Kinase insert Domain-Receptor fetal liver kinase-1 (KDR/FLK-1), the fetal liver kinase 4 (FLK-4) and the fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (flt-1). Each of these receptors was initially believed to be receptors for hematopoietic growth factors. Two other subfamilies of RTKs have been designated as the FGF receptor family (FGFR1, FGFR2, FGFR3 and FGFR4) and the Met subfamily (c-met and Ron).
Because of the similarities between the PDGF and FLK subfamilies, the two subfamilies are often considered together. The known RTK subfamilies are identified in Plowman et al, 1994, DN&P 7(6): 334-339, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The non-receptor tyrosine kinases represent a collection of cellular enzymes which lack extracellular and transmembrane sequences. At present, over twenty-four individual non-receptor tyrosine kinases, comprising eleven (11) subfamilies (Src, Frk, Btk, Csk, Abl, Zap70, Fes/Fps, Fak, Jak, Ack and LIMK) have been identified. At present, the Src subfamily of non-receptor tyrosine kinases is comprised of the largest number of PTKs and include Src, Yes, Fyn, Lyn, Lck, Blk, Hck, Fgr and Yrk. The Src subfamily of enzymes has been linked to oncogenesis. A more detailed discussion of non-receptor tyrosine kinases is provided in Bolen, 1993, Oncogen 8: 2025-2031, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Many of the tyrosine kinases, whether an RTK or non-receptor tyrosine kinase, have been found to be involved in cellular signaling pathways leading to cellular signal cascades leading to pathogenic conditions, including cancer, psoriasis and hyper immune response.
In view of the surmised importance of PTKs to the control, regulation and modulation of cell proliferation the diseases and disorders associated with abnormal cell proliferation, many attempts have been made to identify receptor and non-receptor tyrosine kinase “inhibitors” using a variety of approaches, including the use of mutant ligands soluble receptors and antibodies RNA ligands and tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
More recently, attempts have been made to identify small molecules which act as tyrosine kinase inhibitors. For example, bis monocyclic, bicyclic or heterocyclic aryl compounds, vinylene-azaindole derivatives and 1-cyclopropyl-4-pyridyl-quinolones have been described generally as tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Styryl compounds, styryl-substituted pyridyl compounds certain quinazoline derivatives seleoindoles and selenides, tricyclic polyhydroxylic compounds and benzylphosphonic acid compounds have been described as compounds for use as tyrosine kinase inhibitors for use in the treatment of cancer.
The identification of effective small compounds which specifically inhibit signal transduction by modulating the activity of receptor and non-receptor tyrosine kinases to regulate and modulate abnormal or inappropriate cell proliferation is therefore desirable and one object of this invention.
Finally, certain small compounds are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,792,783; 5,834,504; 5,883,113; 5,883,116 and 5,886,020 as useful for the treatment of diseases related to unregulated TKS transduction. See also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,541,504; 6,559,173; 6,765,012; 6,747,025 and 6,699,863. These patents are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for the purpose of disclosing starting materials and methods for the preparation thereof, screens and assays to determine a claimed compound's ability to modulate, regulate and/or inhibit cell proliferation, indications which are treatable with said compounds, formulations and routes of administration, effective dosages, etc.